One Water Student Video Contest

Telling our story is vitally important to the success of our One Water program. Each year, the City of Bend partners with Central Oregon Daily and BendFilm for the One Water Student Video Contest. The contest encourages local 6-12 graders to film 30-second TV commercials, to teach about topics of importance or concern that help to conserve water and protect our river and groundwater aquifer.

Water doesn’t just happen — it takes a community, a system and a plan.

What if water didn’t flow when you turned on the tap? What if you couldn’t flush the toilet, do your laundry, water your garden or enjoy the rivers, parks and green spaces that make Bend special?

Most of us never think about these possibilities because clean, reliable water is always there when we need it in Bend. But water doesn’t simply appear by magic.

This year’s One Water Student Video Contest challenges students to explore the true value of water by imagining what life might look like without it — then revealing the people, infrastructure, planning and stewardship that help keep Bend flowing.

The Assignment

Imagine a day when water isn’t there when you need it.

Create a 30-second video that explores what life in Bend might look like without clean, reliable water. Show how daily life could be affected, then reveal the systems, people and planning that help keep water flowing. What role can residents play in helping protect this essential resource for future generations?

Your video can be serious, humorous, dramatic, futuristic, documentary-style, a music video or completely original. Most importantly, help viewers think differently about the value of water and the systems that make modern life possible.

Research Resources

Need help finding your story? These resources are a great place to start:

• Bend Water System Tour (Google Earth slideshow)
• Water System Virtual Tour with graphics
• Our Water System
• One Water Curriculum 
• Water System Planning
• Water Quality

Need Inspiration?

Think about:

• What would happen if you turned on the tap and no water came out?
• How would homes, schools, businesses, parks, and emergency services be affected without reliable water?
• Where does Bend’s water come from, and how does it get to your home?
• What happens to water after you use it, and how is it connected to rivers, groundwater, wastewater and stormwater systems?
• What people, infrastructure and planning help keep clean water available every day?
• How does Bend prepare for future water needs and challenges?
• What role do conservation and stewardship play in protecting our water future?
• What can residents do to help ensure clean, reliable water for generations to come?

In 2026 we focused on our 100-year anniversary of providing water service. We invited local students in grades 6-12 to join us in celebrating this history by participating in a video contest that explored the history of Bend’s water system. The resulting entries creatively showcased this history of Bend’s water service, the importance of water in our lives and how water service has shaped our community over the last 100 years.

Check out the winning submission from Ace Ridden:

The 2027 contest deadline is 5 p.m. April 30, 2027. Stay tuned for entry details.